The Few, The Proud
by PWTMC
Summary: In which Sakura simply wants a career in the military and would do anything to ensure she gets one. Military!fic, Major AU, Eventual NaruSaku.


A/N: This is definitely a re-write.

First, I'd especially like to thank WinterSorrow, who might still be reading (stalking me). She inspired me to finish this fic like nobody else - So thanks from the very bottom of my heart for making the most retarded, short bus-esque, dunce cap worthy flame become an accidental push forward for me (and I took those insults from a very SPECIAL person, guys!). She might not know what they are, but her eleven extra chromosomes slow her down a bit, so everybody give her a hand! I'd also like to thank the person that spent several hours with her, helping her find keys to type up her generic insults and wiping the drool off her chin. That was very nice of you.

Just kidding (not kidding).

But, seriously, to those of you I left hanging the first time (if anyone even remembers?), I'd like to apologize. These days I've gotten used to flamers and I can take them all. I won't be deleting this fic again.

And, once again, I'd like to let ALL the flamers know - this fic was inspired by TRUE EVENTS (so go ahead and call it a Mary-sue self-insert is that's what gets you off).

To LillithRhiannon - who had one hell of a hard time.

OOO

Sakura fought the urge to lock her jaw as the blinking lights of a cop car increased to near blinding levels in the darkness of the night as it approached her. The white vehicle slowed to a stop next to her and Sakura stopped moving as well, turning to face the rolled down window. She should have known this would happen.

She started with the ever so cliched, "Good evening, officer."

"Do you know what time it is, ma'am?" Was the reply she got back, and now adjusted the the car's obnoxious lights, she could see a woman. She'd always admired female cops, what with her own inspiration to go into law enforcement – a much, much tougher branch of it.

Still, Sakura sighed and looked to her watch, "About one."

The cop looked at her in an ill-mannered condescending glance, one that screamed 'exactly'. She shut those annoying lights and she asked, "How old are you?"

"I'm eighteen." Sakura replied. Legally she could be out whenever the hell she wanted to. She could tell the cop wasn't excited to hear that, though. She must have wanted to take her home herself.

"What are you even doing out here?" The cop continued.

Sakura rose one thin, pink eyebrow. She was wearing a sports bra and a pair of athletic shorts. It was the middle of summer and when she was pulled over, she was running. What the hell could she possibly be doing?

"I'm jogging." Sakura replied, not quite caring how her tone came across at this point.

"Right. Jogging. At one in the morning."

"I had a long day." Sakura explained shortly, bringing a hand to rest on the exposed curve of her hip. The cop's eyes followed her movement and she grabbed the wheel, prepared to pull away from the curb.

"Why don't you go on home before you get raped?" She asked, just before she left, "I don't want to have to fill out your report."

And just like that she was gone.

"What a bitch."

OOO

Sakura kept going. She didn't get home until almost two thirty. Ino was wide awake in her room, playing with the loose strings on her sheets and watching Toddlers & Tiaras on TLC.

"Took you long enough." The blonde commented as the door clicked shut, "Did you know they have fake teeth that go over your teeth to make them look straighter? These are kids. What the hell do they need fake teeth for?"

Sakura slid her shorts off and Ino kept her blue eyes on the TV screen. They'd done this a million times before. It was Sakura's room and she was too beyond lazy after her runs – which were normally much, much earlier in the day – to go to the bathroom to get changed.

"I got stopped by a cop on my run tonight." Sakura said, totally ignoring Ino's comments on her crappy choice of television shows.

At that, Ino laughed. "Oh, really? Did he think you were a prostitute?"

"I didn't look like a prostitute. I looked like a jogger dressed for the ninety degree weather we are currently stifling in. And she was a total cunt. She told me to go home before I got raped."

Ino only laughed harder.

Sakura tugged a clean pair of shorts on and turned to face her friend.

"That doesn't sit wrong with you at all?" She asked, "I mean, what a totally sexist and misogynist thing to say, especially for a female cop! I was pissed off when she left."

"You could have told her you knew MCMAP."

"I didn't go to boot camp yet, so I don't have a belt. I don't really know MCMAP."

Although, the thought did amuse Sakura. She was always a strong young woman and never had a problem with pointing it out to anybody that questioned it. If she were to tell that bitchy cop she knew the deadly Marine Corps fighting technique that made up MCMAP, would she have even knew what she was talking about?

Sakura was going to be a Marine in a couple months, after all. That woman in the ridiculously loud squad car from an hour and a half ago settled for public defense. Sakura loved cops, but she didn't love snarky bitches.

Even if she could be a bit snarky herself.

"You know that one move, though." Ino claimed.

"MCMAP isn't one move."

Blue eyes rolled and the TV clicked shut.

"Whatever. Wanna come with me to the store, Marine? I've got a craving for gummy worms."

OOO

Sakura woke up to the blare of her alarm clock beside her bed. Next to her, Ino was sleeping with the legs spread in what must have been practically a split. Sakura's own legs were bent and curled upwards into her chest, probably to avoid Ino's obnoxious sprawl all over the place.

She kicked her legs out, bumping Ino's down in the process and not really caring too much about it. Ino simply mumbled out a hazy mess of syllables as she rolled on to her side, presenting Sakura with her dainty back.

Sakura shut her alarm off and brushed her hand against the floor, searching for her phone. It only took her a second to grab it and another one to scroll through her contacts and call up her recruiter.

"Haruno?" Came his beyond-energized voice. Staff Sergeant Hatake always spoke with this even, balanced tone, no matter what time it was or how much physical strain he'd been put through. Sakura supposes that in a combat situation that might be comforting. But right now, at eight in the morning, it was annoying.

"Good morning, Staff Sergeant Hatake. I'm going to need a ride to PT today."

"Of course." The recruiter paused for a brief second, probably checking the time since he was such a busy man, before continuing, "I'll swing by and get you in ten minutes. Be ready and be outside."

"Will do."

He hung up without saying goodbye. Typical of that man. Kakashi Hatake – recruiter extraordinaire.

Actually, Sakura quite liked him. Admired him, even. Kakashi was a great recruiter and an even better friend when need be. He was a Marine and had been one since he was eighteen. He had the answer to any question she had and he had advice to give even when she thought she didn't need it.

So what if he wanted her ready in ten minutes after only getting four hours of sleep? At least he was willing to drive her to her Physical Training session with all the other poolees. She didn't want to be under prepared for basic training. She was already counting down the days until she left.

Right now, all Sakura wanted was to be a Marine.

"Wake up." She said, voice firm as she nudged the sleeping blonde.

"What time is it?" Ino mumbled, almost completely incoherent. Sakura knew her well enough to know what she was asking, though.

"I have to go to PT. Which means you have to get out of my house."

"Fuck PT, Sakura. Don't your legs still hurt from your run? You need sleep."

"No, Ino. You need sleep. I need physical training. I'm just sore and tired. It'll be worth it when I can run a perfect PFT before I ship out."

Ino groaned, long and loud and melodramatic, before sitting up. She smoothed a hand over her messy hair and wiped at her face. It would probably take her ten minutes just to roll out of bed. Surely she could lock up when she left. Sakura trusted her enough, but her mother was sleeping in her own room just two doors down... Avoiding the pressing debate over to rush Ino or to not rush Ino going on in her head, Sakura told her to hurry up.

She got dressed, brushed her teeth, threw up her hair, and by then she had already spent six minutes. Kakashi might end up being a little late, but that was her only reassuring thought as she made her way back to her room.

Ino was all packed and sitting on the edge of the bed, tying her shoes up. She looked at her friend with tired eyes as she entered. "When I get home, I'm going right back to bed." She claimed.

"Have fun with that."

They exited the room together and headed down the hardwood staircase, their weight making each step creek. Sakura always hated the stairs at her mother's house. She would make a point to avoid ones like them when she picked out her own house in four of five years. But, then again, who knew how long she wanted to stay in the Marine Corps for?

When they got outside, Kakashi was already parked in front. He must have been walking out of his office when he got her call.

Ino immediately perked up, "Oh, is that Staff Sergeant Hatake? Tell your hot recruiter I say hi."

"Go to hell, Ino."

"Love you, too!"

Sakura didn't look at Kakashi like that – it would be unprofessional. She was one of two females in her entire pool. She got hit on by men with Marine Corps aspirations much like herself every time she went to PT and she knew now how to handle that crap. Dating within that circle would never happen. Something could go wrong. Who wanted to fight beside someone they had broken up with? Certainly not her. And she wasn't looking to use the military as a dating service. She wanted actual respect.

You don't earn respect by hitting on your recruiter, even if you're doing it for a friend who's acting vicariously through you.

Ino headed down the block toward her own house and Sakura headed for Staff Sergeant Hatake's car. She pulled the door open and sat down, slamming it closed again.

"Don't we look tired?" He asked, offering her a smile.

"Gee, thanks. Because tired was definitely the look I was going for today."

Kakashi laughed as he pulled away from the curb.

"By the way, wasn't that Ino? Have you convinced her to join the corps yet? She would make a wonderful addition, I'm sure."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I don't really think the military is for her. I know recruiters have to make mission and everything, but believe me, she's not the type."

Kakashi quirked one grey eyebrow, never taking his eyes off the road. "I already made mission this month, thank you very much." He said.

"Oh. No offense, Staff Sergeant Hatake."

"None taken. By the way, I have a new poolee I'd like you to meet. He's going to need a hand studying for his ASVAB."

OOO

A/N: If you're not one for military lingo or whatever, have no fear, it really doesn't matter. My brief mention of the ASVAB isn't really of importance until the next chapter, where it will be explained plenty.

I'll try to avoid being a douche and making my possible readers have to go and do research. That wouldn't be very awesome of me.


End file.
